Improvement in camera-stands



'IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST SEMMENDINGER, OF FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAMERA-STANDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,255, dated March31, 1874; application filed January 28, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST SEMMEN DINGER, of Fort Lee, in the county ofBergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedCamera-Stand and I do here by declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in theart to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this specification, in which drawing Figure 1shows a vertical central section of this invention. Fig. 2 is asectional plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in a bent lever carrying a detent, and pivotedin a stationary frame, provided with vertical guides for a frame whichsupports the camera, in such a manner that by said lever the frame canbe adjusted in any position with facility and dispatch.

In the drawing, the letter A designates a stationary frame, whichcontains an inner or sliding frame, B, which moves up and down invertical guides, and is provided with a hinged top plate, (3, formingthe stand or sup port of the camera, which support is set in therequired position by an adjusting-screw, a, working in the top part ofthe frame. The movable frame B is supported laterally in the outerframe, and vertically by the foot of a bent lever, D, which is pivotedand has its fulcrum in a standard, E, rising from a crossbar of thestationary frame. The handle of this lever D extends outside of theframe A, so that it is within convenient reach of an attendant, and bydepressing such handle the opposite end or foot of the lever, beingraised, actuates the inner or camera-supportin g frame B, causing thisto rise, and by these means carry upward the camera. WVhen the frame hasbeen adjusted in the required position by means of the lever, it isretained through a detent or stop, I), composed in this case of a wedge,which is placed in front of the lever, and in the teeth of a "erticalrack, F, formed in the front of the stationary frame. In order to lowerthe camera, it is only necessary to release the lever D, when, by itsinherent gravity,

the inner frame B will fall, and, displacing the lever, carry downwardthe camera. The foot of the lever D carries a roller, a, to reduce thefriction thereof upon the bottom of the rising and falling frame.

Various devices may be employed for retaining the lever D-as, forinstance, a ratchet and pawl, or a simple pin and holes; and I do notwish to confine myself to the precise means here shown for effectingthis purpose.

By this arrangement, a camera-stand is obtained which allows ofadjusting the camera in a vertical plane, and thereby the operation oftaking a good picture is materially facilitated. I

tVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The bent lever D, pivoted upon a standard, E, directly below thecenter of the sliding frame B, and provided with a frictionroller, whichrotates on said frame as it is raised or lowered in the frame A by thelever, all in the described construction and combination as herein setforth.

2. The combination of the bent pivoted lever D, central standard E,sliding frame B, stationary frame A, and stop I), all constructed andarranged as herein shown, the lever D being disconnected from the frameB, as set forth.

This specification signed by me this 19th day of January, 1874'.

AUG. snnivinnnmenn.

\Vitnesses W. HAUFF, OnAs. WAHLERS.

